Global Policy

Every year on 22 March, the international community celebrates World Water Day, a day to draw global attention to the water challenge and renew commitments to safeguard the planet’s most vital resource. …

At the invitation of French President François Hollande, IUCN’s Director General, Inger Andersen, travelled with a high-level delegation this week to the Philippines to see first-hand the impacts of climate change on the island nation and mobilise support for a global climate deal which is expected to be signed later this year in Paris. … | French

From 3-5 February, IUCN’s Director General, Inger Andersen, met with her counterparts in the partnership between France and IUCN, and with President Hollande’s Special Envoy for the Protection of the Planet, Nicolas Hulot. … | French

In the early hours of a snowy Saturday morning in New York, United Nations delegates took a historic step towards safeguarding the global ocean commons. Government representatives at a UN meeting agreed to launch a formal preparatory process for a global and legally-binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. …

Leaders from the aluminium sector today unveiled a new comprehensive standard that aims to improve the industry’s environmental, social and governance performance throughout its entire value chain, including plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. …

On Gender Day at the 20th Conference of the Parties (COP20) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), host country Peru pledges a gender-responsive climate change action plan. … | Spanish

A critical mass of 51 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has now ratified the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) - a new international regime which aims to ensure fair access to the planet’s genetic resources, while making sure that benefits derived from their use are properly shared across the globe. This achievement will bring the Protocol into force on 12 October 2014. …

IPBES has issued a call for nominations for the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel (MEP) for the three-year term 2015–2017, replacing the current interim MEP. The MEP is an important body as it is responsible for overseeing the scientific and technical development and implementation of the IPBES work programme. … | French | Spanish